1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a computer simulation of human performance of a procedure and, more particularly, to the simulation of a procedure for operating equipment, such as an electrical power plant.
2. Description of the Related Art
Software for monitoring the execution of complex plant operating procedures has been available for several years. One example of such software is COMPRO available from Westinghouse Electric Corporation. The principles used in COMPRO and similar software products are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,803,039 and 4,815,014 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/307,831, all incorporated herein by reference. The man-machine interface for such software is designed to minimize potential errors in execution of the procedure. Both errors of omission and commission common in following printed procedures are addressed in the design of such software.
Due to the design of the man-machine interface, errors are less likely to occur when a human operator uses such software, rather than conventional printed operational procedures. If not for this fact, such software could be used for evaluating the quality of the procedure itself.
Some versions of such software are used in only a small percentage of the plants which could benefit from the use of such software. In many cases, operating procedures at plants not using such software are virtually identical to the procedures for plants using such software. As a result, the plants not using such software could benefit from the evaluation of the procedure itself, which is difficult with a human operator due to the difference between the man-machine interface of the software and the way in which the printed procedures are used. If such software could be used for evaluation of the procedures, the results of the evaluation would be helpful at all locations where the procedures are used, whether the procedures are available in a computer based monitoring system or only in printed form.